The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1887-03-05
RAILWAY MAIL AGENTS,
Tho Mcsger salary Paid Them for Arduous
and Trying Work.

and Trying work.
Many seek appointment under tho
impression that the position of railway
postal clerk is a "soft snap" but on
having their eyes opened to the really
ardu Gus duties that await them and the
meager salary attached they resign in
disgust to seek easier and more fruitful
occupations. The position, II the appli-
, cant fulfill the requirements of the
service, becomes easy to certain de-
gree only after long period of hard
study and application. 1t is any thing
but snecurc. To reach the top of the
ladder the aspirant must make up his
mind to vigorous application, and must
be possessed of reasonably good cdu-
cation Mt the start.
As the first step he receives appoint
ment to the division in which he is
located through the influence of po-
litical or other friends. The division
superintendent then assigns him to u
certain route. The examiner is notified
and the appointee is sent out on his
first trip at once. He makes an ar
rangemcnt with an instructor, gener-
ally the one whose position he is to take
when qualified, and pays the instructor
the salary attached. At the end of tif-
teen days he is supposed to know the
"local scheme" and the contents of u
book of instructions given him at the
start fairly well. If in this division,
which comprises New York, Pennsyl-
vania, New Jersey, Delaware and tho
eastern shore of Maryland and Virginia,
he will be required to be ready for exam
ination at the end of fifteen days, and
will have to appear before either tho
chief examiner or his assistant.
Assuming that the appontee is q
Pennsylvania, he will receive notice
of the time set for his examination and
apply at the Office in due time. The
large apartment is fitted up especially
for the purpose of testing appointees.
The young man is first handed one hum
dred envelopes, each directed to point
on his route, no two being in the same
handwriting. He is required to read
aloud the name and full address, and
must not make ten errors if he wishes
to pass. The facility with which he
reads, his pronunciation, whether he
wears glasses-everything is quietly
noted by the examiner. He is then
questioned on the matter of instructions
and must reply correctly to ninety per
cent. of the questions asked. These are
not very difficult, nearly two-thirds OF
the questions suggesting the answer.
He is then set before II large case, ar.
ranged with pigeon-holes, these repre-
senting the separations on his route,
and is handed package of cards adj
i. dressed to the towns comprised in his
, run. Each separation represents anunl.
Der of towns, and the candidate must
know just what towns are comprised in
each particular separation. This car
only be accomplished by accurately
, memorizing the list. If he be able tc
reach ninety per cent. or over, he may
, then dismiss his instructor and proceed
on his own account. If he can not, he
I must continue under guidance until he
draws IL salary as probationer of $500
and proceeds to study up the Maryland
"schcme."
An appointee is supposed to be read,
: for second cx animation at the end o
E thirty days after passing the first
When able to case ninety per cent. o
Maryland he takes up New Jersey ol
, Pennsylvania, and so on until he il
, familiar with the schemes of all thu
/, States in the division. If capable ant
persevering, he becomes expert ant
makes his "record." An acknowledg
. ment of his ability is then placed will
0 the division superintendent, and th'
young man is on the road to promotion
He is advanced, accordingly, as posi-
tions above his own become vacant
. There are five classes of salaries-first
. $500; second, 5000; third, 81 900; fourth
, $1,15O; fifth, 81 600. The highest salar,
in local routes is $1,000. the fourth an,
fifth extending into the trunk-lin,
, service.
5 Many clerks never apply themselve
: further than to be able to case thei
particular routes. They go through ex
animation after examination and ar
unable to reach ninety per cent. OF
, Maryland. These are the clerks tha
, politicians, desirous of rewardins
friends, are looking for, for if they have
!, made no record they are liable to bt
, called upon to step out at any time. l
, will readily be seen that the work is o
> a character to discourage those lookins
for easy jobs with big salaries.
large percentage of apprentices become
!, tired after the first trip and resign, SC
} that the old hand is sometimes kept al
r work for months before a capable and
willing applicant comes along.-PhiIa
delphia Record.